I have been travelling again, folks, so it’s been a while since I’ve blogged.   I really enjoy Share Your World and usually try to do them even when away from home but this time it was not possible.

Here is my contribution to this week’s rather tricky questions from Sparks.

What do you think of best friends of the opposite sex?  Or to put it another way “Can men and women ever be platonic friends?  Doesn’t sex always get in the way?”  

I have male friends but I wouldn’t call them ‘best’ friends.  I really enjoy my female friends and find bonding with them way easier than bonding with men.  Most of my male friends are part of a couple or an ex-couple. I enjoy male company but I have never had a man as a ‘best’ friend.

I do think it is possible to have a best friend of the opposite sex without sex becoming an issue.

What is the greatest struggle you’ve overcome?

I have had to deal with quite a few issues in my life and have my own way of dealing with them.  I won’t go into my greatest struggle because that is too personal to pursue on this blog.  But a trivial one that I took rather seriously for most of my youth was maintaining a healthy body mass.     It all started when I was quite young because I took people’s opinions too seriously.  Many people from family members, to parents’ friends and also my own peers would comment on my body shape.   On the other hand, had I not been made aware of my weight would I have become fat and unhealthy?   I really don’t know.  But weight, was always a struggle and an issue in my life.   And to be honest it still is.  It’s just that now I have it all under control.  I eat when I’m hungry and I exercise and I am no longer afraid of putting on the kilogrammes.  After all, I am an old lady so who cares!  I was always being told that I could do with losing a few kilos but in the past five years, it has been the opposite.  Instead, I hear, “You’re too thin, please eat!”  Really, I no longer care.  I am the way I am, so love me or leave me.

What is the darkest thought you’ve ever had? What about the darkest thing you’ve done that you’ve never told anybody about? (obviously, you’ll be telling now if you choose to.  Telling might unburden you a little though.) 

I am not too sure how to answer this one!   I have been very tempted to do bodily harm to certain creeps that I’ve come across but never actually acted upon it.  The darkest thing I’ve done?  I really can’t think of anything.   But if I had done a deep, dark thing, would I confess it here?  I don’t think so.

and one ‘fun’ one because I realize those others were pretty deep)

What is your least favourite food?

When I was a child, right up to the age of 18, I was a picky eater.  Food was a huge issue and I would be fearful of eating away from home in case I had to confront something I did not like.  I did not like pasta, rice, cooked vegetables or anything with a sauce or strange flavour.   When presented with a new dish I would ask my mother whether I would like it or not – and she knew my preferences so well that she would tell me.    It was only when I went away to college that I learned that food was not the enemy.  It was either eat what was put before you or starve!   Of course, this is also when the weight issues started and I gained 25 pounds in a year and only lost it in the last term of my third year when my peers pressured me to diet!   So my struggle with food became what not to eat rather what I used to like or dislike.    Now I don’t have a least favourite food.  I love trying new foods.  I enjoy eating what is on offer in foreign lands and like to eat what the locals eat.  But I avoid too many carbohydrates and try as much as possible to stick to a High Fat Low Carbohydrate type of diet concentrating on lots of vegetables.

GRATITUDE

Share a thought, write a story or poem or share a meme about gratitude.  If you’d like to.  As with the other questions, this is optional.  

Here is my contribution to this week’s Share Your World From Sparks

QUESTIONS:

When was the last time you tried something new?

I am constantly trying new things especially in the realm of healthy eating.  Five years ago I tried a new eating plan. LCHF is huge in this country and many people I know are following it or have tried and fallen off the wagon for one reason or another.  Most stick to it at least 75% of the time.  I cheat sometimes and perhaps that is why I have been diagnosed as prediabetic!   Well!  I was gob-smacked as I don’t drink sodas or even fruit juice, I don’t add sugar to my tea or coffee, I don’t even add milk!   I very seldom indulge in confectionaries or junk food and the only treat I usually allow myself is dark chocolate!  However, over the Christmas season, I ate the odd slice of Christmas Cake and minced fruit pies are my favourite.   Perhaps that’s why my sugar levels went up?  There are several things putting you at risk for diabetes type 2.  The only thing I am guilty of is being over 65!  Life is so unfair.    But I digress – what have I tried new recently?   Because of this new diagnosis as well as having high cholesterol levels I have decided to go on a semi-plant based diet.  I am still sticking to LCHF but with less red meat and dairy and sticking to the ‘good’ fats while having fewer of the ‘bad’.   I simply refuse to cut meat out altogether.   I am a South African Greek for heaven’s sake! Life is too short.   But I am adding more vegetables, eating less red meat and of course adding lots of fish which is easily available where I live.  (The Earl, by the way, is also prediabetic) Oh, and I’ve given up wine and coffee!   If my posts become grumpier you’ll know the reason why!

Yesterday, I bought a juicer/blender set.   Today we started on celery juice.   Celery juice is supposed to be the new miracle drug – it is good for everything.   So what’s the harm?   It may do nothing and it may bring down the cholesterol and sugar levels!  Cheers!

The start of a new regime

If you were forced to eliminate every physical possession from your life with the exception of what could fit into a single backpack, what would you put in it?

A pair of Tomy takkies (sneakers/plimsolls), a pair of secret socks, two sets of underwear, a pair of black jeans, two short sleeve t-shirts, 2 long sleeve t-shirts, puffer jacket (I don’t have one but would get one ‘cos I can’t fit my other warm jacket in) toothbrush, toothpaste, shower gel, towel, sunscreen, moisturiser, lipstick,  Laptop computer, (my backpack has a special compartment for it), phone and camera + chargers in their respective compartments, passport and Flipfile of essential documents.

What simple fact do you wish more people understood?

You are enough.

What food item do you go through fastest in your house?  (credit to Sandmanjazz)

Now that I’ve started juicing, it’s going to be celery!

GRATITUDE (Not mandatory for participation)

Feel free to share something that really makes you happy! 

Lots of things make me happy but the one I will share today is stated below.

It makes me happy having friends and/or family to stay.

One of my dearest friends, Hanny, came to stay last week.  She is the bravest, most positive person I know.  In spite of all the challenges including cancer that she faces daily, she is everybody’s friend, always kind, and generous to a fault.  We walked on the beach, swam in the sea and bonded with long chats into the night.

Today she was admitted to hospital and will undergo surgery for a hernia on Wednesday.   Hope it all goes well Han!

Hanny  – always smiling